Japan’s wild new TV show is real life ‘Tony Hawk Pro Skater’

It’s ‘Ninja Warrior’ on skateboards!

Just in case you needed any more evidence that Japanese TV absolutely destroys anything in the West: Allow me to introduce you to KASSO. It essentially blends skateboarding with Ninja Warrior, with pro skaters tackling obstacle courses to put together runs that look like something out of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater — but in real life.

KASSO began in early April, and is already of the top TV shows in Japan. Each week skaters are tasked with putting together runs through a massive obstacle course, trying to set their fastest times — while also adding a little flair. Sometimes the challenge might look fairly simple, like skating down a steep hill while avoiding obstacles, but there are others where competitors need to skate down narrow, winding paths before grinding a rail over water to reach the finish line.

The show absolutely knows its roots. Produced by Tokyo Broadcasting System, it’s the same network that created Ninja Warrior for TV in 1997 under the name Sasuke, and before that Takeshi’s Castle in 1986, which would go on to garner massive cult appeal in the United States when it was re-dubbed by comedians as Most Extreme Elimination Challenge.

This is such a simple show in premise, and the execution is just perfect. I’d watch this every week more than yet another talent show or dating show.